We checked with the league office on how such appeals work and were told that clubs can ask for any play to be reviewed for statistical purposes, and the Elias Sports Bureau will review the play and make a decision.

So how do they decide the measurement on a kick? The question is whether Raiders punter Shane Lechler placed the ball on the Raiders’ 47-yard line or on the Raiders’ 46-yard line when he held for Janikowski’s field goal. If it was between yard lines, they would round down.

Here’s the relevant excerpt from the NFL’s Guide for Statisticians: “Field goals shall be measured from the spot of the kick. Spot of the kick is dictated by the same principle as used in determining the line of scrimmage. Example: If any point of the football when kicked rests on or above any yard stripe, credit distance from that yard stripe. If all of the ball rests between yard stripes, credit distance from the yard line nearest the intended goal.”

it is a shame because honestly, he had 65 yards easy there. stupid ass raider place holder should have sat back so it was 64 yards, i doubt that would have been topped in a long time. thats the dummies of the west for you though.

I thought there was an unwritten rule once you became an NFL kicker that you took an oath not to top Dempsey. Something to do with a handicapped player holding a cherished record or that you’d be jinxed if you beat him. I’m not making this up.

Look at how strong some kickers have been since Dempsey. I’m sure there came a time when one of them could have tried a 63+ yder but didn’t.

This field goal record is the only thing left for the Raiders to accomplish that Al Davis cares about. That was the point behind drafting Janikowski in round one all those years ago. Once the longest field goal record belongs exclusively to the Raiders, Al will die peacefully in his sleep. Come on NFL, give him the record for the sake of everyone who cares about pro football.

If its as obvious as the post makes it (and most appear to agree) that it certainly was not on the hash to make it 64, the Raiders are dead wrong for wasting any time on this. They waste their time and the leagues. You dont just appeal things because you have nothing to lose, or because it shows you are a players owner. You appeal things because you believe there was a mistake.

This is not like a baseball manager getting in an umps face over a questionable call to rally the team.

This is more of an insult to the kickers who share the record that they wont respect THEIR accomplishments by being willing to attempt to out do them on a bogus appeal.

Not a big deal, It was kicked in Denver where the air is much thinner, therefore making it much easier to boot it farther. If anything, there should be an *asterisk* next to his name in the record book stating it was made in an easier place -Invesco Field at Mile High-

I can’t imagine them changing this and giving it to him, but I’m willing to bet that he’ll get the record eventually. The Raiders have a history of trotting him out for longer field goals than most right-thinking clubs would ever dream of attempting. He’s been very close on several occasions and it’s only a matter of time until he connects on one.

Looking at the video it looks pretty clear the ball is nowhere near the 46 yard line. The holders back foot is slid back and is barley touching the 46. The ball appears to be about 1 yard further up. Regardless it was a great kick by Janikowski and if he gets a few more opportunities he will break that record..

but how is an organization trying to do its best for a player in any form unlikable? Janikowski himself has stated that this record means something to him. What’s the harm in Oakland going out of its way to ensure that their kicker has the best shot at sole ownership of a record that is one of his stated career goals?

zoxitic says:
Sep 15, 2011 3:14 PM
Shouldnt all your energy and time be focused on winning the next game?

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It isn’t like the team or the coaches are going to fight this battle. This is what those guys with the cushy jobs get to do. And of course they should fight for this. Shows that you will support your players and make sure they are looked after for. If you think the Raider players are appealing this themselves you have no idea what the word “organization” means in the NFL.

I don’t know how old you are, but I remember Tom Dempsey during his playing days.

I know I will get killed for this, but the fact is that his handicap gave him a huge advantage due the construction of his specialized kicking shoe.

It had a large, flat, square, hard plastic surface on the front that allowed him to swing his leg and hit the ball head on, unlike normal kickers who have hit the ball with the side of their foot.

Sorry, but those are the facts.

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Yes, I too am old enough to have seen Tom Dempsey kick, too. As a Lions fan growing up, I was watching the game from my home in Detroit that day in 1970. (The game was in New Orleans.) Funny how no one whined about Tom Dempsey’s “advantage” of kicking with half a foot the rest of his ten year career. Only that kick. And the Lions never complained either, even though that loss nearly kept them out of the playoffs that year.

This is as ridiculous as the complainers about Casey Martin who could barely walk having an “advantage” in using a golf cart. Yeah, wow, he has really torn up the PGA Tour with that cart, hasn’t he?

And the conditions Jano kicked in were? I wasn’t at the game, but it did not look like a clear, 65 degree day with a slight breeze. It was raining fairly hard the entire game. Not exactly ideal circumstances for hitting a record tying kick. People can hate all they want and the Raiders have provided plenty of ammo over the years for non-believers to throw their way. Bottom line, regardless if the call came from Davis or if it was Jackson, this was a great call and the difference in the game.

Is anyone else as surprised at I am that a) he’s still on the Raiders’ team, and b) he’s STILL IN THE LEAGUE?
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God knows there’s allot of ignorant posts in this thread but this one here, this is a special type of ignorance.

doesnt matter seabass will beat the record by 10 yards before he retires. and to all the “it was in denver who cares” haters, he kicked a 61 yarder in the snow in cleveland that would have made it from 65-70 yards. so STFU

Yeah, people do tend to get a little more vocal about someone having an unfair advantage when they break an all-time record using it than they would otherwise.

The Martin comparison doesn’t make any sense. Are you saying the fact that it turned out that Martin sucked and wouldn’t have made it on tour if they let him play from the ladies tees somehow invalidates someone pointing out (not complaining, by the way, just pointing out) that Dempsey set an all-time NFL record using a piece of equipment no one else in the league was allowed to use?

I hope he kicks a 70 yarder this year to shut up all the Raider haters once and for all. The guys a top notch kicker, give the man credit even though you don’t like the Raiders.
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I really don’t think it is about hate. It simply is what it is: It was a 63-yarder.

Personally, I would love to see this guy hit a 70-yarder. That would be so cool as far as I am concerned.

Eventually someone with a free kick FG at the end of a half will just crush the record anyway. Mason Crosby missed a 69 yard free kick by a yard or less, and that was on a day where it was below freezing.

Janikowski kicked a 61 yard FG with plenty of distance in the snow freezing cold in Cleveland. Sorry Dempsey was a great kicker. However, I don’t think there’s any doubt the Polish Cannon has maybe one of the strongest legs in Football. Not to mention in 2007, he kicked a 65 yard FG in Oakland against Houston on dirt. Although he missed the ball hit damn near the top of the upright.